New Year’s brings crackdown on drunken drivers, options...

1of2On the Embarcadero, the SFPD runs a check spot, late in the evening looking for possible DUI offenders. Photo/John O'HaraPhoto: John O’Hara / The Chronicle 2000

2of2CHP Officer Derek Reed talks about driving under the influence of marijuana with a man at sobriety checkpoint in Livermore in 2016.Photo: Leah Millis / The Chronicle 2016

After the fireworks fizzle and the last bottle of bubbly disappears, New Year’s Eve revelers will make their way home on one of the most dangerous days of the year on the roads.

Last year, 40 people died in collisions on California roadways during the four-day stretch around New Year’s Day, a holiday period when the California Highway Patrol places all available officers on duty and observes a maximum enforcement period.

Statewide, CHP officers made 936 arrests for driving under the influence between Dec. 30, 2017, and Jan. 2, 2018 — a 22 percent increase from the year before, when the CHP arrested 767 people during that same period. In 2015, more than 920 arrests were made in a 78-hour holiday period.

San Jose police have been working overtime shifts on DUI enforcement for the entire holiday season, said Sgt. Enrique Garcia, a spokesman for the department.

In the past few months, officers have also been dispatched to downtown bars in a non-enforcement capacity, offering people free breathalyzer tests.

“We’ve had a lot of people say ‘I’m taking a ride share like Lyft or Uber,’” he said. “It’s been really eye-opening that only after a couple of drinks they were, in fact, legally under the influence.”

People tend to drink more during the holiday season, Garcia said, “so having that awareness will hopefully help people moderate their drinking, and have a fun time but not be a danger to themselves and others.”

Garcia said “without a doubt” ride-hailing services have significantly curbed instances of drinking and driving.

How to stay safe on New Year’s Eve

Have a plan: Decide before your New Year’s Eve celebration begins whether you plan to drink or drive. You shouldn’t do both.

Snacking: Eat high-protein foods like meat and cheese to avoid drinking on an empty stomach, but beware of salty snacks, which tend to make people thirsty and drink more.

Take public transportation: Extra hours of BART, Muni and Caltrain services are essential to prevent traffic jams and keep drunken drivers off the roadways.

Check your ride: For those ringing in the new year with Uber or Lyft, make sure you get in the right car by verifying that the details in the app match who is picking you up.

Be the host with the most: Offer “mocktails” and other nonalcoholic drinks for designated drivers. Remember that only time sobers up a person, which means you may have to offer your sofa or guest room to guests who overdid it with the bubbly.

“People are becoming aware of the fact that it isn’t worth it,” he said.

San Francisco police said the department will deploy more officers to conduct DUI checkpoints and saturations, scanning for drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

In a statement, San Francisco police issued a reminder that those impaired by marijuana, prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications also can be charged with a DUI.

“As an adult, it is up to you to make adult decisions and drive sober or use a ride-share service,” San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said in a statement. “There are no excuses for driving impaired.”

Partygoers in much of the Bay Area have plenty of options for zipping around that don’t involve getting behind a wheel.

BART will keep its trains running late until 3 a.m. on Jan. 1. Trains will run every 20 minutes after midnight, with extra trains lined up near the Embarcadero to take passengers home after the fireworks show.

After 8 p.m., certain trains will skip stops at the three busiest New Year’s Eve stations — Embarcadero, Montgomery and West Oakland — to manage platform crowding.

“Public transportation is meant to be a resource for people, and obviously we want to be there for people who are making the smart choice not to drive after having a drink,” BART spokesman Jim Allison told The Chronicle this month.

Trains restart at 8 a.m. on New Year’s Day.

In San Francisco, Muni will offer free rides on all routes starting at 8 p.m. Monday and lasting until 5 a.m. Tuesday, the transportation agency said.

Caltrain also has scheduled two additional northbound, limited-service trains to San Francisco in the evening, as well as additional southbound trains heading to San Jose after midnight. The last train is expected to leave the San Francisco station at 2 a.m. All rides on Caltrain will be free starting at 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.

In an effort to encourage revelers to find a sober ride home, the California Office of Traffic Safety has partnered with Lyft and the Governors Highway Safety Association to provide discounted rides in San Francisco and Sacramento. Lyft plans to offer $10 off through Jan. 1 with the promotional codes GOSAFELYSF3 and GOSAFELYSAC2.

California is one of five states that received funding through Lyft and the GHSA to promote campaigns that discourage driving under the influence through the holidays.

“New Year’s Eve is a big night for both riders and drivers in San Francisco,” David Kunst, Lyft’s general manager for Northern California, said in a statement. Last December, Lyft drivers countrywide earned almost $30 million in tips alone, a 120 percent increase from the year before.

In past years, Lyft and and ride-hailing leader Uber have inflated prices during peak hours on New Year’s Eve. Riders can avoid these high fares by getting to their destination before surge pricing begins — last year, 1 a.m. on New Year’s Day was the peak time for rides, according to Lyft.